This is an analysis of the poem Old Folks Laugh that begins with:

They have spent their
content of simpering,...

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: XXabcaXXdefXbfbcdefadaXbX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 25,
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 1111 100100 10110 11110 0101 1111 0111001011 1000 010 1111 1010111 11111101 11101010 01101 00100 010100 010011 1110 11011 11 110100 11111010010 0110111000 0111100 00
  • Amount of stanzas: 1
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 600
  • Average number of words per stanza: 102
  • Amount of lines: 25
  • Average number of symbols per line: 23 (strings are less long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 4
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; their is repeated.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of Old Folks Laugh;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Maya Angelou